A Pound of Flesh

A Pound of Flesh

Once upon a time in Venice, Italy, there was a very rich merchant named Antonio. He had many ships that sailed in the sea. His ships carried different types of merchandise to other countries. He sold those goods there. He bought spices and other valuables from foreign countries and sold them in Venice. Antonio was a good and kind man. He always helped the poor. The people of Venice loved him very much for his honesty and kindness.

Antonio had a close friend named Bassanio. He was a handsome young man and was born in a noble family. Bassanio liked to live a very luxurious life. He loved grandeur and style. He spent more money than he earned. As a result, he was very often short of money. In such situations, Bassanio would go to his best friend Antonio for help. Antonio would help him with cash.

It so happened that Bassanio fell in love with a wealthy lady named Portia. Portia was known not only for her beauty but also for her wisdom. She was soft towards Bassanio too. He wanted to visit Portia in a grand manner but he did not have any money. So he went to Antonio.

Bassanio said, "Dear friend Antonio, I am in great need of some money. I would like to visit Portia at Belmont, grandly dressed and with many servants. But I don't have any money right now. Please help me to fulfill my intention."

Antonio said, "This is not a problem, my friend. How much do you need?"
"Three thousand ducats [Venetian currency] will do."

"I don't have that much money with me now as all my ships have gone out in the sea with merchandise. But don't worry, my friend, I'll arrange three thousand ducats for you."

So he decided to borrow the sum from a moneylender named Shylock. Shylock was a very crooked man. Antonio and Shylock hated each other. Shylock used to lend money with high interest. He would even send the debtor to prison if the latter failed to pay his debt. On the contrary, Antonio used to lend money to help those who needed it and would not charge any interest.

Shylock agreed to lend him money but on one condition. If he failed to repay the money in three month's time, he would pay a penalty. Shylock would cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonio's body. Antonio willingly agreed, thinking that his ships would soon return with all the rich merchandise and he could easily return the money to Shylock by selling them. Shylock made Antonio sign a bond before giving him the money. Antonio took the money and gave it to Bassanio.


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